Ibérica, Manchester

I head back to Spain a fair few times each year to see family or rediscover the concept of sunshine.

Each visit back to the motherland sees the two of us spend far too many lunches at one of the local tapas bars of southern Spain.  

You would think that I'd have had my fill of tapas by the time we return to England, but this isn't the case. Spanish cuisine (the best in the World) draws me in like a bull to a matador's cape.

A couple of weeks ago Hannah and I headed into Manchester for her final checkup after laser eye surgery.  Inevitable, as is always the case when we head into the city, I suggested we grab a bite to eat instead of heading home in rush hour traffic.  

Ibérica, the trendy new tapas restaurant in Spinningfields, was the obvious choice.

Ibérica has been the talk of the blogging community this spring and has received rave reviews from all parts.  

It is clear, as you walk in, that this is no ordinary tapas bar.  The flamboyant decor certainly feels Iberian but upper class Madrileno rather than rustic pueblo.

After we were seated, I ordered sangria (obviously!).  The jar based drink ended up being a triumph and one of the most perfectly mixed sangrias I have had.

Hannah had a Diva Cocktail which included a beautiful mix of cava, strawberries, and raspberries. Very refreshing for this sunny day.

Gazpacho with red berries, beetroot and anchovies

Refined and refreshing.  I don't normally choose cold soup unless it is a boiling hot day but the flavour was superb, light and creamy.

Ensaladilla Rusa
It is the law to order a tuna and potato salad when eating tapas.  My favorite! The Ibérica version is much more smooth than a traditional Spanish one but still delicious nonetheless. The Piparra peppers gave it a unique kick. 

Twice cooked lamb, marinated cherry tomatoes and red peppers from El Bierzo
Succulent lamb that fell apart perfectly.  It is unusual to see lamb on a tapas menu but we loved it.

 

Ibérica's Serrano ham croquettes

The service at Ibérica was exceptional and José needs a special mention for his attentiveness all evening.  He recommended the croquetas which again I don't normally choose.

His recommendation was spot on - WOW!  If you go, take José's advice and try them.

The Ibérica burger with secreto pork loin & Piparra peppers
A tapas burger?  Had to try it!  Not a bad effort and it lasted seconds before we scoffed them both.

Octopus a La Gallega with potatoes & pimentón de la Vera
My Abuela's special and the traditional dish of Galicia, where my family are from. Nothing can match fresh pulpo from a pulpería in La Coruna but this was a valiant effort. I got this dish all to myself...

Fried chorizo lollipops with pear alioli sauce
The best thing I ate at Ibérica by a country mile.  So rich and well complimented by the adventurous pear alioli.

Tapas is supposed to be small, cheap bites to eat whilst you have an afternoon beer in the sun.  Ibérica doesn't try to bring a traditional style of tapería to the North West like Levanter does in Ramsbottom. Instead it offers upmarket twist on tapas, refined dishes that take you on a Spanish adventure right here in the heart of Manchester. Whilst it's not cheap, it's worth a go.

The Queen's Head, Glanwydden, Conwy by Hannah

North Wales holds very happy memories for me. My Nanna and Poppa lived in Colwyn Bay and later Llandudno for more than 30 years and my childhood was full of visits to these seaside towns. With so much to do in the surrounding area, I never got the chance to explore further down the coast.

For our wedding anniversary I decided to treat the hubby to a weekend away. After hearing so much about Abersoch from my colleagues at work who visit regularly, I did what any Boltonian does when tempted by a recommended holiday...  I booked it, packed it, and f*cked off. I don't mess about!

On the way to Abersoch I wanted to stop off in Llandudno for old times sake. Since my Nanna moved back to Bolton I've not been back for about 4 years. With hunger pangs growing, Elliott came up with a blinding idea for lunch which I'd totally forgot about - The Queen's Head.

This place is pretty hard to find. It's very off the beaten track but this fabulous pub food is a must. I've been here many times and every visit is just as good as the last.

Serving traditional pub grub with a couple of alternative choices on the menu, the Queen's Head caters for everyone's tastes. The interior is cosy, clean and really hospitable.

Elliott went for a special - Connemara Mussels sauteed in garlic butter on spinach and glazed with Llanrwst smoked cheddar served with salad and French bread. 

For me (who was starving) the Monkfish and King Prawn Curry in a light mango and coconut sauce, timbale of rice, mango chutney and a poppadom. The dish also comes with a small dish of apples and sultanas, but with hating all things associated with raisin-type objects I opted out which the chef kindly obliged. The extra sprinkle of coriander completed my dish and made it a winner from the first mouthful.

The food is so fresh and tasty here. Even Elliott started digging into my curry across the table and I had to stab him with a fork to stop him, naughty husband!

The service was, as always, impeccable and we couldn't ask for more. 

It was a shame I was too full to sample the delights of the amazing cakes and tortes situated behind the front desk. Nevertheless, the curry and my fave Southern Comfort beverage was a brilliant start to our break away.

I tried to get a photo of the outside of the pub but I got caught in a sudden rain shower so the picture really doesn't do it justice.

For somewhere quite out of the way, the pub was packed with people eating which speaks volumes. I'm so glad we remembered to stop here, it truly is a hidden gem in the Welsh countryside!

More Wales blogs to follow!

Carpathia Champagne Bar & Restaurant, Liverpool by Hannah

Yesterday, I had the day off work. Hurray for flexi-time! 

With it being half term and the whole world seemingly also off work it seemed like the best opportunity to get out and about. It was decided that me, my Mum, Jo (my brother's girlfriend) and Jo's Mum would venture into Liverpool for a girlie shopping trip and a posh afternoon tea. With Jo and her Mum being native Liverpudlians, hailing from Fazakerley*, our expert Jo determined that The Carpathia Champagne Bar & Restaurant would tick all of our afternoon tea boxes.

The restaurant is situated at the top of a very plush hotel, 30 James Street - Home of Titanic. The whole building is steeped in history and commemorates both RMS Titanic and the White Star Line to celebrate Liverpool’s maritime history. 

The ship theme continues throughout the building - dripping in chandeliers, luxurious carpets, and gold adorned features - a nod to lavishness of the magnificent yet fateful Titanic. The restaurant is named after the Liverpool vessel, RMS Carpathia, which rescued all 705 Titanic survivors. 

Up on the 7th floor you get some amazing views as the restaurant overlooks The Strand waterfront and offers spectacular views of The Three Graces. Unfortunately, it was a very cold and dreary day but the outside terrace looked like it would be a fantastic place for a drink on a summer’s day. Up here you feel out of the way of the hustle and bustle of the streets below.

Afternoon Tea in the Carpathia Restaurant is £19.95 with Tea or £24.95 with Bubbles. All of us were being very good and opted for the no-bubbles option… mainly because we were all starving and the bubbles posed a real risk to major impulse buying later on.  

The afternoon tea was good overall. 

The selection of tea and coffee was great, even doing decaf coffee for my Mum and decaf tea for me… otherwise we would have been wired for sound for the rest of the day. They also offer Darjeeling, earl grey and other flavours.

We didn’t get a menu so I can’t be too specific about the food on offer. However, there was a modest 3 types of sandwiches - ham and mustard on a larger crusty roll; cucumber and crème fraiche finger sandwiches; and chicken tikka style finger sandwiches. On reflection the sandwiches were just enough to leave room for the many cakes and scones! 

For the cakes, there were fruit/cream meringues, cherry cupcakes, red velvet slices and chocolate éclairs.

The top layer was reserved for the resident afternoon tea favourite scones, cream and jam.

The pictures speak for themselves!

The one downside, which we all agreed was a bit of a let-down, was the pretty poor service. There seemed to be a lot of staff around not doing very much. Our table as well as other people in the restaurant seemed to be sat around waiting for long periods in time. Our tea/coffees arrived after 30 minutes. It took nearly an hour for the afternoon tea to arrive which resulted in the drinks going cold by the time the food arrived. 

Also the waitress kept forgetting everything we asked for – milk, water for the table, a missing cup. We constantly had to ask for refills of milk or tea/coffee and it took ages to flag someone down. I realised on the way to the bathroom, that there were a lot of staff chatting or busying themselves with other tasks (like folding napkins in the corner) rather than paying attention to the customers. There must have been a delay in the kitchen or something because all the afternoon teas seemed to come out at once. To be honest there’s no excuse for lateness with an afternoon tea. For a place which is quite upmarket I expected that there would be more attentiveness paid to the guests.

Nevertheless, our afternoon tea set us up nicely for our shopping expedition. We headed to Liverpool One and braved the pouring rain to get our shopping fix. Best of all the shops being the Harvey Nichols Beauty Bazaar and, of course, the ginormous Primark! 

Overall, it was a grand day out.

(*although Fazakerley sounds like a seaside resort in Turkey, it is in fact not. This was me being rather stupid. According to my trusty internet source called Wikipedia, Fazakerley takes its name from Anglo-Saxon root words – all descriptive words pertaining to land; Faes-aecer-leah. This can be broken down to faes (border or fringe), aecer (field) and lea, or lei, meaning a wood or clearing. Not only can you use this blog for foodie knowledge, you can also learn Anglo Saxon. Perhaps this could be our USP…).

Freemasons at Wiswell

The Freemasons at Wiswell spent a long time right at the top of my 'places to eat' list before I was able to find the time to visit.

It ticks all the boxes of somewhere I would love - hidden away in a small village within the Ribble Valley, serving local produce and highly recommended.

The pub has been recognised as a great food destination and was named the 'Top Pub in the UK' by The Good Food Guide.

It is classically rustic inside but also has a modern feel.  This is a country pub with a contemporary twist and that is reflected in the food.

Complimentary Bread:

Everyone loves it when the waiter brings across some free bread to get you started.  However, not everywhere does bread like they do here.  

Warm rolls, soaked with beef fat and covered in salt and rosemary.

You don't get better bread than that.  

Organic Egg:

Crispy Hen's Egg, "Gammon and Pineapple". 

Hannah is a sucker for any sort of egg based starter after she fell in love with the Hearth of the Ram's Scotch Egg.  The runny yolk of the Freemason egg had her smiling.

Lamb:

Kofta, BBQ Lettuce, Miso Aubergine, Mint and Yoghurt.  

I will always go for anything with BBQ on the menu and I wasn't disappointed.  Subtle flavours that hit the spot but not too sweet to overpower the flavour of the meat.

Aged Beef:

Roast Sirloin, Yorkshire Pudding, Duck Fat Potatoes, Cauliflower Cheese, Roast Beef Juices.

I think the images speak for themselves. 

WOW.

The cauliflower cheese was scrumptious.  

Quite a few restaurants and people up north seem to love it with a roast, but before I moved up here I had never heard of putting it with a traditional Sunday lunch.

Perhaps it is a northern thing but whoever came up with the idea was a bloody genius. 

Fish of the Day:

Cod, Southport Potted Shrimps, Chipped Potatoes.

I rarely order seafood but after my father-in-law decided to try the cod, it triggered some serious food envy.  

Next time, I may have to go for fish instead of meat!

Lemon:

Cheesecake and Vanilla Ice Cream.

Neatly presented and fresh enough to cleanse my palate.  A really good way to end a fantastic meal. 

Michel Cluizel:

Dark Chocolate Mousse and Passion Fruit.

The strange name for this dessert relates to the source of the chocolate.  Based in Normandy, Michel Cluizel have been in business since 1948 and their product was put to good use in the kitchen at Freemasons.

The Ribble Valley is full of wonderful places to eat, especially if you like local produce.

The Freemasons at Wiswell matches the quality I associate with the area and is the perfect place to go if you want a drive into the countryside followed by some high quality food.

You don't end up as the best pub in the UK for nothing! 

Check out my other Ribble Valley blogs here.

Pitt Cue Co, Soho

They say that fate is a cruel mistress.

Well that certainly wasn't the case on our final day in London earlier this month.

The sunshine disappeared and was replaced with drizzle meaning we needed to get indoors. In our efforts to find Choccywoccydoodah and some new converse trainers, we ended up getting lost around Soho.

In a fortunate turn of events, we stumbled upon Pitt Cue Co purely by accident. A small, unassuming building which looked nothing like a meat lovers paradise.

This place has been on my radar ever since I got my hands on the Pitt Cue Co. Cookbook. With there being only 30 seats in the tiny restaurant, I didn't think we would ever get a chance to savour its delights.

Thankfully fate was on our side today. With no queue in sight on this Sunday lunchtime it was an obvious choice.

A cryptic menu was pinned to the net curtains in the window but I only had to read the words 'Pulled Pork' and I was already through the door.

When you first enter the restaurant it is striking just how small it is. Like an old saloon in the States there are bourbons on display and stools to sit at the bar. It didn't look big enough from the outside and where were the tables?

We were led downstairs to a dim and compact dining room which gives you the feeling of being in a genuine barbecue joint somewhere in deep Louisiana.

Heaven.

Our helpful waitress gave us a rundown of the menu and we ordered a couple of cocktails.

The drinks were different, mainly bourbon based cocktails, strong enough to put hairs on your chest but absolutely delicious.

Cider Sour

Bourbon, Cider, Lemon, Ginger Syrup

Sidetruck

Bourbon, Cointreau, Lemon, Bitters

Pulled Pork
Served with sourdough, pickle and green chilli slaw.  The perfect specimen of pulled pork. 

I am getting flashbacks of this meal right now and damn, I want it again.  Immediately.

Beef and Stout Bun
A perfectly toasted brioche bun with a juicy beef patty that satisfies even the most demanding of burger eaters. The meat melted in your mouth.

Bone Marrow Mash
The best thing we ate all week.  Thick, rich and creamy with beef gravy and bone marrow it was the perfect accompaniment. By an absolute mile the best mash you can find.  Anywhere.  

Our meal at Pitt Cue Co. made my weekend in London complete. It was a unexpected surprise find on this miserable rainy Sunday.

One thing is for sure, it's one of the only places I'd be willing to queue for!